From Ground Zero
by Messrs-MWPP199
Summary: A story that begins for Sirius and his girlfriend the night their best friends are brutally murdered. The journey that takes them both to the brink of destruction and then over the edge.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Take Me Instead.  
>"There was a loud popping noise in my kitchen. That's what woke me up. When I saw it was Sirius, that's when I got scared. He usually came on his flying motorbike."<p>

O

Sirius was standing amidst the rubble of the house where his best friends had once lived. He was holding their only son, Harry in his arms.

Hagrid appeared and saw Sirius standing there with tears running down his face and horror in his eyes.

"Is tha' Harry?" he asked.

Sirius nodded slowly.

"Can you make me a portkey? I have to take Harry to his aunt and uncles house for protection," Hagrid said and as he began to recognize the feral terror in Sirius's eyes he continued quickly, "On Dumbledore's orders of course."

"Take my motorbike," Sirius offered, "I won't need it anymore." Sirius handed Harry over to Hagrid gently and kissed his godsons forehead tenderly before he walked over to the motorbike to kick start it for Hagrid.

Right before he started the bike Hagrid heard him say, "All my fault. God, if you exist, please forgive me."

O

"He stood looking at me from the entrance into the kitchen. I was standing in the living room, and when I looked into his eyes all I could see was despair. He was so anguished!" After saying this, the young woman giving the testimony was finally able to catch the doomed man's silvery grey eyes. She could tell he was angry, but also defeated. She knew, in that moment, that Peter had gotten away. "That's when he told me what had happened to Lily and James, and little Harry."

O

"Avery, our. . . My. . . Your. . .They're dead Ave'. Peter betrayed them," Sirius said as he let his sorrow take control.

Avery went quickly to his side as he allowed himself to collapse on to the couch; she was whispering "No! Not. . . Not James and Lily! Not... God please not Harry too? God, Sirius please say no!"

"I couldn't even find James and Lily's bodies in what's left of their house. Harry somehow managed to survive," Sirius said managing to gain some control over himself.

Suddenly Avery's body went stiff; her eyes appeared to be locked on to something far in the distance. In her mind's eye she saw James lying on the floor limp,

Sirius saw her mouth open in what could only be a silent scream. He hugged her body as closely as he could.

The vision continued in front of Avery's unseeing eyes. Lily was standing in front of her only son's cradle tears streaming down her face and screaming, "Please not my Harry! Not my son! Not my only son, Please!" she pleaded desperately her brilliant emerald eyes searching for the hooded figures face. "Please kill me instead! Just spare my son! Spare my Harry!" she begged desperation evident in her voice.

The hooded figure raised his wand. It was the most expressive physical movement that Avery had ever seen; she could read the contempt even in that small gesture.

Lily became higher pitched as her voice tore through her throat amidst choking tears, "Please! PLEASE! Not Harry! Not my only son! Take me! Oh God, Please let him live! Let him-" She screamed as the hooded figure drawled out.

"Avada Kedavra."

Suddenly Sirius was shaking her, "Avery? Avery! Avery, are you alright? What did you see?"

Tears were flooding out of Avery's eyes as she cried, "I saw it. James was first, and then Lily while she was trying to protect Harry. It was awful!"

"Come here," Sirius said pulling her into his lap, "Shhh," he said trying to be soothing and stroking her long brown hair as he tried to process this new information about his best friend of twelve years and his wife.

"Sirius, I can't believe he killed them! I'll never see Lily or James ever again! That's it. They're just gone," Avery said heartbrokenly as she tried to wipe away her tears, but it was a wasted effort for they were immediately replaced with new ones.

Sirius felt his eyes begin to fill as well as he pulled his girlfriend closer. His pain and sorrow was tinged with guilt as his plan began forming in his head.

O

"I had a vision about what had happened at Godric's Hollow that night. He comforted me and then stayed the night."

O

After they had both been able to gain control of themselves, they found they still had no desire to break apart. They were both content to stay wrapped in each other's arms on Avery's couch.

Sirius stayed all night.

He had meant to leave in the middle of the night, but when she snuggled into him and sighed, finally falling asleep, he found he couldn't tear himself away. He stayed awake a little while stroking her long, soft, brown hair. He finally drifted off some time in the wee hours of the morning.

O

"He left early that morning saying he was going to avenge James and Lily and that," The young woman stopped for a moment trying to catch the eye of the accused. She was unable to do so, so she continued, "And that he loved me and would miss me. I was still half asleep."

O

Sirius slid out from underneath Avery.

She stirred and blinked her amber colored eyes up at him, "What's wrong?" she asked groggily.

"I am going to get Peter Pettigrew for this. It has to be him. I can't believe he would betray James and Lily like that!" Sirius said as his latent anger turning from the night before. His grey eyes met hers and he saw that she looked scared. "I want you to know, Avery, that I love you more than I ever dreamed I was capable of loving anyone. Please don't ever forget that," Sirius said from where he stood in a weak beam of morning sunshine, which was stalwartly streaming through Avery's curtains.

Avery looked at Sirius and said reverently, "I won't," Avery said standing up and kissing him determinedly in the feeble warmth of that ray of sunshine, "Just remember that I'll always love you too. Always. I could never be with anyone else after being with you."

Sirius kissed Avery one last time and he disapparated.

O

The woman fingered with a strand of her brown hair as she tried desperately to catch the accused's eyes. Just one more time.

"Thank you Miss. Jones. You can step down now," The judge said kindly.

Avery stepped down from the chair and walked to a seat in the back of the courtroom.

Sirius turned his head slightly so he could see where she was choosing to sit, but he didn't turn his head enough that he was looking directly at her.

O

Avery apparated quickly to the scene.

Sirius was screaming in the middle of the street, covered in blood, "You bastard! I'll find you! I'll punish you for what you've done!"

"Sirius!" Avery screamed frightened by his obvious anger.

His eyes locked onto hers just as ministry officials began arriving on the scene. He began to laugh bitterly, never allowing his eyes leave Avery's.

The ministry officials began the process of apprehending him, and Sirius began to laugh harder.

"Sirius!" Avery screamed as tears started rolling down her cheeks, "Sirius!" She screamed so hard she felt as though her throat were tearing apart.

Remus Lupin apparated near her and grabbed her around the waist as she started to run forward towards him. She stumbled and fell against Remus's supporting arms. In her grief and confusion she was unable to support herself.

"Sirius!" She whisper screamed unable to make any sound louder than that.

Remus apparated himself and Avery back to her apartment.

Avery was leaning all of her weight completely on Remus; she was unable to catch her breath as she continued to scream almost silently. Her face was contorted in pain. When he let her go she fell to the floor gasping, heaving with sobs and still trying to scream Sirius's name with no voice left to do so.

She lurched up, as if she were trying to get to her feet, and then leaned down and threw up on the floor. Remus had never seen someone so completely over wrought. He knelt next to her and put his arms around her gently as she continued to sob and gasp for breath, "Shhh," he said knowing it wouldn't be enough.

O

Sirius kept his eyes closed for the rest of the trial. He couldn't bear this. He already knew what the outcome would be.

"Guilty." The judge said with a tone of finality that cut through Sirius's defenses. One tear slipped from the corner of his eye as he felt the sudden coldness that meant the Dementors had entered the courtroom.

Avery breathed, "Sirius," and from across the courtroom Sirius felt her breath on his face as if they were in bed together, as they never would be again. He closed his eyes tighter and tried to hold on to the feeling she gave him. He practically gasped her name in reply.

Avery choked on her tears as she tried to hold them back. She watched the back of the man she had loved these past seven years as he was led away by four dementors.

She knew then, suddenly and with perfect clarity that she wouldn't survive to see him again. She cried out as if in physical pain and fled the courtroom as the heavy wooden doors slammed shut behind Sirius.

**AN: So that's Chapter One.. I would really appreciate your feedback. And just so you know (since it always bothers me when I read works in progress that I like) I have the whole thing written and saved, so you review and I'll update :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**** I Don't Want To Waste My Life. **

"Who else was friends with my parents? Besides the Marauders? Did my mum have her own friends?" Harry asked eagerly as he hung out with his godfather in number twelve grimmauld place.

"Yeah! She was actually friends with the singlemost amazing human being that has ever walked this earth, Avery Jones," Sirius responded.

"What was she like your Hogwarts girlfriend or something?" Harry teased knowing full well his godfather had been a player while he was at school.

"She was the love of my life," Sirius all but barked.

"What happened to her?" Harry asked apologetically.

"She died."

"When?"

"Just before I escaped. Literally only days before I escaped from Azkaban," Sirius said bitterly.

"What happened to her?"

**O**

Avery left her parents house, coming from Friday night dinner. Her presence had been requested every Friday night since Sirius's conviction by her parents. They meant to make her feel less alone, but the Jones's had always been a loving and affectionate couple and being with them only left Avery feeling more alone than before.

Avery was headed to her apartment when she saw a phoenix sitting on top of a parking meter.

"Hey Fawkes," she said affectionately as she approached the beautiful bird the color of perpetual sunset, "Where do you need me?"

Fawkes let out a low haunting note, and obediently Avery reached her hand out to touch the impressive bird.

They traveled quickly. It could only be described as apparating in flame. Their destination was a dungeon in the deepest recesses of Hogwarts Castle. She looked around the room singly lit by a torch on the wall, and warily raised her wand.

Dumbledore appeared in the doorway bringing with him yet one more torch. "You need not worry Avery. I will not harm you," Albus said calmly. "The only reason we meet in such an ominous setting is because I do not wish our meeting to be on record. I would like you to be able to refuse if you would like."

Avery hesitated, "Do I get to know what I'm refusing before I make that decision or is it a half-blind decision?"

"I can inform you of the risks, but that is all unless you accept this mission," Dumbledore said the hint of an apology in his tone of voice.

"What are the risks?" Avery asked after taking a deep breath and readying herself for the worst.

"Torture, Death, or Death by torture," Dumbledore said bluntly refusing to look anywhere but directly into Avery's eyes to make sure she knew that he meant it. "I wouldn't normally be willing to risk your life in times like these, being there has been peace and quiet since James and Lily… But I think we need you."

"I'll do it Professor. Don't worry," Avery said. That was all she needed to hear.

"You should think about it," Albus Dumbledore told his former student.

"Professor…" Avery started.

"Call me Albus. I'm asking you to risk your life in a time of peace. The least you deserve is to address me as an equal," Albus said kindly.

"Albus I don't have much… to lose. I'm wasting my life and I know it. This will make me feel useful, maybe even _alive_ again. I never had such purpose in my life as I did when I had the order, morbid as that may sound," Avery said smiling kindly back , as if these words should have been comforting to her old teacher.

"I am both so sorry and so glad you feel that way Avery. Ou know you were always one of my favorite students," Albus said smiling fondly at her.

"I always thought of you as a second father figure professor," Avery confessed to her old headmaster. "What do you need from me?"

"I need you to infiltrate the old death eater circles. I can feel the ripples of something brewing. There have been too many dark coincidences of late. There have been whispers… I would ask Severus, but since he maintained a position here with me as potions master, many of his "colleagues" have lost faith in him."

"Albus, I'll do it. Don't apologize for giving me something to do," Avery said as she straightened up and her eyes seemed to fully open for the first time in almost thirteen years.

"I had a feeling that would be your response. It's what frightened me most about asking this of you," Albus confessed, "You've always been so… willing."

"Albus we would _all_ do _anything_ for you. That's why you are our leader and not some other guy," Avery said.

"Yes, I understand. But I always felt that you, James, Lily and Sirius always seemed to have such unwavering trust in me. You always followed my instructions unquestioningly. I feel that I have let all of you down in the most heinous of ways," Dumbledore said his crystal clear blue eyes suspiciously wet. "My four favorite students, you and Sirius have lived the longest. You're both 32 and look at your lives. Sirius: in prison for life because of my error in judgement that killed two of my other students. And you? You're unhappy and willing to risk everything for an old man's suspicions."

"Not just any old man," Avery said defensively, "You're suspicions carry a hell of a lot more weight than anyone else's. And we pledged to a purpose! We took an oath. "To die in the service of others and their needs. To protect the Wizarding Community with our lives and nothing less." We knew what we were getting ourselves into when we joined the Order." Avery suddenly smiled ironically, "We're all just unusually enthusiastic."

Albus smiled feebily, "I suppose."

Suddenly Avery's eyes went out of focus and her body went rigid. Albus waited patiently for her vision to finish. When Avery's body began to collapse meaning that the vision was releasing her, Albus stepped forward to catch her.

Avery opened her eyes wide and saw Albus's inquisitive twinkly blue eyes swimming above her face.

"What was the vision about Avery?" Albus asked keeping the urgency out of his voice.

"The mission," Avery said as she tried to regain control of herself.

"Did you see your fate?" Albus asked, he was losing control of the urgent tone in his voice.

"I survive," Avery said weakly, and they both knew she was lying.

Albus took a deep breath and after they shared a moment of silence he said, "I'll give you till tomorrow to wrap up your affairs, just in case." He was playing along. "Meet me in my office tomorrow night at seven, there's a house party you will attend tomorrow night with Severus. At MacNair Mansion."

Avery snarled at the location, "Alright. Formal I suppose?"

Albus nodded, "Merlin bless you Avery Jones."

Avery smiled grimly and left the dungeon, heading towards the main floor, and then out to Hogsmeade.

When she reached the Entrance Hall she heard her voice called in a commanding tone, "Avery, tell me you did not accept."

Avery turned to see Severus Snape billowing towards her. She said nothing.

"This is folly. You cannot survive," Severus said a note of panic in his voice. ''

"Severus keep your voice down," Avery said as she smiled at a skinny, messy haired boy with glasses, "And yes. I have accepted."

"I will not let you practically commit suicide just because you're depressed about your convict boyfriend!" Severus said stepping close to her, "I will not assist you in this."

"Severus," Avery warned. She was reeling slightly from his comment. It had hit her like an ogre's club in the stomach. "I need you. You can't leave me to do this alone! I might not get the information I need before I die if I don't have your help. This is work! Please don't take this away from me Sevvie," She pleaded desperately.

Severus blinked at the use of his old nickname. He hadn't been addressed as "Sevvie" in about fifteen years. "You're cheating," Severus said.

"What are you talking about?" Avery asked feigning innocence.

"Ave' I need you alive. Don't you understand? Let me be selfish and protct you. Just this once," Severus pleaded trying to affect her with his dark eyes.

"Don't you think you've been selfish enough for one war Snape," Avery spat angrily. She watched Severus recoil from her and then she whirled around and stalked out of the castle her back as straight as a ramrod.

**O**

"I remember her! Old Snape looked as if she'd spit in his face. Whoever that woman was I was tempted to run after her and ask for her autograph, and I didn't even know who she was then. Now I wish I had!" Harry said excitedly.

"She was a force of nature that girl," Sirius said fondly.

"Yeah! As she left I watched Snape put his head against the wall, it almost looked like he was crying or something. I didn't think that filthy git _had_ any emotions besides hatred and jealousy," Harry said vehemently.

"Avery could always make him feel. He had a soft spot for her and she had one for him too which I never understood," Sirius said calmly.

"WHAT? Ew!" Harry said totally grossed out as to how anyone could have warm fuzzy feelings for Severus Snape.

**O**

Avery slipped into her parents house that night and left a note on the kitchen table, explaining what she could and telling them she loved them. That was all she had to do. That was all that was left. She had lost touch with all of her friends from Hogwarts, and she didn't maintain any other relationships.

The next evening Avery strolled into Hogwarts and headed straight to Albus Dumbledore's office covered from head to foot in a ratty, old traveler's cloak that dragged on the floor. Severus Snape met her outside Dumbledore's office. They looked at each other warily. Neither of them said anything but the password and the ascended into the office silently.

Dumbledore kissed Avery's cheek and Avery touched his hand affectionately. Neither of them needed words.

Severus looked Avery up and down contemptuously, "You're not dressed."

Avery shed her long cloak to reveal a startlingly gold, floor length dress that clung and moved with her body like water, "Will this do?" She asked words dripping with contempt.

Severus's eyes widened considerably at the sight of her. She was gorgeous. Her dark brown hair curled sorftly around her pale, flawless skin. The dull gold of her dress was the same color as the golden flecks in her large brown eyes. "That will suffice," he said once he'd recovered from the shock of seeing her.

"Thanks so much," Avery said sarcastically.

"Behave yourselves," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes, enjoying their exchange.

Severus threw floo powder into the fireplace and said clearly, "MacNair Mansion," as he stepped into the flame and disappeared.

"Goodbye Professor," Avery said smiling sadly, knowing it would be the last time she saw him face to face.

"Goodbye Avery. It has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life to teach you," Albus said returning the melancholy smile.

Avery tossed a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and screamed, "MacNair Mansion!"

**O **

"And that was it?" Harry asked.

"Minus the gruesome details, yeah," Sirius said his tone empty. "Harry you'll have to excuse me, I'm out of stories for today."

**AN: Hey, so I know people are reading this. And I don't really mind if you'd hate it, I'd really like to know what you think. Please Review. It would mean a lot to me. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Claw Marks on the Floor**

Severus Snape sat in his poor excuse for a home with his head in his hands, on the TV the muggle anchor woman was announcing the escape of a serial killer Sirius Black. They were announcing they had no idea where this dangerous man was headed and they had no information about whether he was armed or not.

Severus knew exactly where Sirius Black would be headed. It would be the apartment he and Avery had lived in and then when he didn't find her there, he was sure to turn up on Severus's doorstep.

Severus and Avery had been friends since first year. They had been introduced by, a once mutual friend, Lily Evans and even after Lily had begun to ignore him Avery had remained a faithful and public friend.

There was a knock on Severus's door and he opened it onto a gaunt and deathly pale version of the cocky Sirius Black.

"Where is she Snivellus?" Sirius hissed weakly.

Severus could see he was about to collapse on the doorstep and after furtively looking around to make sure they weren't watched he said, "Come in Black."

Sirius stepped into the house and sat down in the chair Severus offered, "Where's my girl, Snivellus?"

Severus tried to remain calm and mature, but the constant use of his old nickname from his times of torture at Hogwarts were wearing at his thin layer of patience, "Well I suppose you wouldn't have heard about it, since you don't get the Daily Prophet in Azkaban."

"Don't be a brat Sniv'. What are you talking about?" Sirius said glaring at him, loathing in his eyes.

"She's dead, you prick," Severus said unceremoniously.

Sirius scoffed, "You're lying!"

Severus walked over to his book case and pulled a tattered old copy of Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger off the shelf. From inside the front cover he retrieved a newspaper clipping and handed it carefully to Sirius.

The headline read: Mysterious Death of Witch: thought to be tied to recent death eater activity.

Sirius devoured the article and when he reached the end he looked up at Severus and though his eyes held a sense of horror, already knowing the answer he asked, "What does this have to do with Avery?"

"She's the witch that was murdered," Severus answered not allowing himself to feel sorry for the man who had tortured him through his seven years at Hogwarts.

"No," Sirius said his voice beginning to shake as he repeated the word, "No, no, no."

"Dumbledore gave her a mission in September of last year. She was to infiltrate the circles that death eaters ran in. I was instructed to assist her. I tried to convince her to give up, to leave well enough alone. She said the Order work would make her feel alive again.

"We went to several parties and dinners together. She came home from everyone of them and cried," Severus said his voice bitter as he glared at Sirius accusingly, "She cried because at every place we went with those people they would abuse you and bring you up as a way of hazing her into giving up a cover she might be concealing.

"Every night we went out she would make it to the moment we returned here and then she would collapse onto the closest surface and cry and wish you were here," He continued, deep resentment seeping into his voice and filling his dark eyes.

"She began to get invited places I was not," Severus said continuing on, "I believe she was infiltrating the people who considered themselves the Dark Lord's favorites. She was bringing in information in bucket loads. Then she was invited to a dinner party at your childhood home of all places. She brought me along.

"Andromeda was there and she was very upset to find that Avery was affiliating herself with the kind of people her aunt would invite to a dinner party.

"Narcissa found her crying in your room and told her husband."

O

There was a scream and footsteps on the stairs. Narcissa had her hand tangled in Avery's long brown hair and was using it to drag her down the stairs, "Look who I found crying in little Sirius's bedroom," Narcissa said disdain in her voice as she flung Avery to the floor.

Severus closed his eyes for a moment, he couldn't intervene. He would have to watch whatever they did to her to protect his position among them.

Avery was huddled on the floor her hair hanging in front of her face, her breath coming in irregular gasps.

Lucius stood from the table and said to the room, "It would seem we have been deceived my friends."

Avery lifted her head and though she had tear streaks on her face and more tears in her eyes she maintained a look of staunch defiance and hatred.

Lucius laughed, enjoying the look on her face, "I'll bet I can wipe that look right off your face. _Crucio_."

Pain seared through Avery's body. It felt like someone had set her on fire, thrown boiling grease on her, and was vigorously running her skin off with sandpaper all at once.

For the first few moments Avery attempted to keep her eyes on Lucius's cold blue eyes. Soon though the pain was overwhelmed her and she closed her eyes and the twitches that had been out of her control turned into writhing movements and a guttural scream tore from her throat.

Suddenly the pain stopped and Avery felt her body collapse onto the wood floor of the Black's dining room. It felt like she no longer had control of her body, like her brain was disconnecting from the rest of her.

"Who wants the next turn?" Lucius asked mirth in his blue eyes, "Severus perhaps you'd like a go?"

"No thank you, Lucius. I'm quite content just watching." She heard the strain in his voice from where she lay on the floor and she wondered if he would give himself away or if she was only now realizing how well she knew him.

"I'll have a go," a deep voice volunteered. Avery didn't even bother to look to see who it was. It didn't seem to matter.

_Crucio._

Avery did not even try to resist the urge to scream and writhe on the floor. A distant calm part of her noted that they were laughing and enjoying her screams as the rent the air.

They tortured her for what felt like hours but Avery couldn't be sure because time was moving irregularly. Time between tortures was moving so quickly while the moments she was tortured seem to drag by, each instance lasting an eternity.

Finally she was left huddled on the floor breathing in shallow gasps, blood dripping from her mouth and nose, her nails were torn from scratching the wooden floors.

There was hushed discussion happening in a far reach of the room but Avery was far from being able to hear them. In fact she couldn't even see them. With a herculean effort she was able to lift her head but when she opened her eyes everything was a blur.

She hoped they would kill her soon. She didn't want to be tortured anymore. She felt that nothing could make her want to continue living, not in the state she was in.

"I'll do it!" said a voice that Avery recognized vaguely as belonging to Sirius's mother.

"Are you sure you would like too?" that inquiry was courtesy of the cool, oily voice of Lucius Malfoy.

"Yes I am Lucius. Look at the claw marks she's put in my wood floor, and my eldest son loves her, it will be my greatest pleasure to end her life." Mrs. Black said her voice harsh and cold.

When Avery heard that she managed to pull herself onto her knees and slowly with great effort forced her eyelids to open so she could appear to be looking at Mrs. Black and her death.

"Over here girl!" Mrs. Black's voice cracked over her like a whip. She laughed and sang out, "Look we've made her blind!"

There were satisfied chuckles from her audience as Avery was slowly and deliberately pivoting to face the woman who meant to kill her. She didn't want to die huddled on the floor she wanted to die facing her attacker no matter how much painful effort it took to do so.

Mrs. Black laughed and said, "I wonder if my son would even want you anymore if he could see you now. Goodbye Avery,"

"I'll see you in hell, bitch," Avery croaked hoping her unseeing eyes were backing up the intense hatred that she wished would come across in her ruined voice.

"_Avada Kedavra_," Mrs. Black screeched like a harpy brandishing her wand at Avery's kneeling body.

There was a loud thump as Avery's lifeless body fell forward and hit the hard wood floor.

O

Sirius had put his head in his hands when Severus had begun to describe the torture that Avery had undergone. Now he looked up and tears were flowing freely from his grey horror and despair filled eyes.

Severus watched him from where he stood in the center of his living room. Severus had been unable to keep back his own tears.

"My mother?" Sirius said as if the idea was revolting to him, "She did not deserve the honor of ending such a noble life."

"Her life should not have ended at all!" Severus yelled outraged.

"Says the man who watched her be murdered," Sirius countered.

"Says the man who got himself locked safely away in Azkaban!" Severus taunted stung by the accusation.

Sirius launched himself across the living room at Severus.

The attack surprised Severus so that Sirius was able to get one large hand around Severus's throat and one solid punch to Severus's face. Severus rolled them so he was straddling Sirius and punched him in the eye and the nose quickly.

Sirius roared angrily as he punched Severus repeatedly anywhere he could reach while trying to keep a hold of Severus's throat.

Severus's face was turning a blotchy purple when the two of them rolled away and gasped for breath. Sirius had sustained a split lip, a bloody nose and an eye that felt as though it would bruise for sure. He thought back to a time when he could have beaten Snivelly with one hand tied behind his back.

The two enemies who had loved the same girl lay on the floor gasping for breath.

Finally Sirius stood up and looked down at Severus the usual loathing passed between them nonverbally and Sirius turned and walked out of Severus's small house on Spinner's End.

**AN: So you guys know what happens next. I'd really appreciate you guys letting me know what you think. Also give some thought as to whether or not you'd like an epilogue, cause I sorta have one in mind but I don't you know if ya'll want it. **


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